Buoy



W.\ S. CROUCH.

BUOY,

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WA S. CROUCH.

. AuoY. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3Q 1919.

1,339,321. Patented May 4, 1920..

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@NITE "ti-If WILLIAM S. CEOUCH,

0F TAooIvIA, WASHINGTON, AssIGNon To LINE CARRYING BUOY COMPANY, .A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE. f V

BUOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

Application filed September- 3, 1919. Serial No. 321,355.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I', WILLIAM S. CRoUoII, a citizen of the United States, residin at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and tate of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buoys; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others, skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. This linvention relates to buoys and particularly to that form of device designed to carry cord or cable and valuables, and provided with a means for permittingsaid cable to be paid out according to the movementA of the buoy.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved buoy for sending .a line from one vessel to another, and from a vessel to a man overboard, and from a vessel .to shore, and from the shore to a vessel, and for indicating the position of an anchor, and for carrying valuables, and for providing a suitable floating body for carrying a supply of cable designed to have its freev end se cured at a point from which thebody starts and to be paid out as the body vmoves with the wind upon the water. f y A further object of this invention is'4 to provide an improved means jof forming a 'sealed joint of the cap for said buoy. y v

. A further object of this `invention is to improve means for locking said-buoy and to provide a'direct instead of an angular pull upon the thin metallic partskofsaid buoy and to provide a positive means lfor holding the said cap in a lockedrelation by said locking means against yielding lof the thin metallic parts of said cap Aand said buoy. Y f

A further object of this invention'is to providek and simplify the structure of the locking means for said cap and of said buoy and tol unify this structure withy the means for holding a cable carrying float in said buoy. Y

carrying and protecting moneys,

provide an improved means for locking and inserting a reel within said buoy.

A further object'of this invention is to provide a means for reducing a connterbalancing vlead weight forming a keel for said buoy and to lower the said weight and change the gravity of saidibuoy to enable the use of a lesser amount of lead or other counterbalancing material and further to extend the said buoy downward in order to form an anchor when the said buoy strikes shallow water and at the same time make the said extension' collapsible for the purpose of simplifying transportation, handling, storage and stowage of the said buoy. y A further object of this invention is to provide a means for supporting a basket forfcarrying said valuables and to make the said meanscommon with the means for locking and inserting the said reel.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the construction, combination and in the detail and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1 is .a central vertical section partly-in elevation of the buoy.

y Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the buoy.

Fig. 3 isa topjplan view of the buoy with the cover removed as taken at 3-3 in'Fig.'1, I I f Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the means for inserting and locking the reel.

f Fig. 5 is a top view of Fig. 4, y Fig. 6 is a d tail side elevation of the means for locking the cap on the said buoy. In detailthe invention comprises a body casing l having therein floats 2 for buoyancy and a reel 3 having a line 1I wound oir-said reel and extending downward and out through an orifice 5 and having in said line a pin 6. Saidvcasing 1 is cylindrical in formation in its lower part 7 and drawn into a hook formation at 8 and has an ,extension cylindrical member 9, which is also hooked-at 10 so that a portion of` 9 telescopes within vmember' 7.V At the base of member 9, carryingoriice 5, is a weight 11 of lead or other suitable material having a high specific gravity. rIhus, when not in the water, 9 is` telescoped withinmember 7 Ioo and substantially inclosed therein, thereby making the space occupied by said buoy normally not beyond the projection of member 7. When in the water, however, member 9 by gravity extends itself outward thus lowering the center of gravity of the said buoy and thereby requiring a lesser weight of the weight 11 to stabilize the said buoy and toV keep it in a vertical position and alsoV forming a projection which will tend to strike bottom in shallow water and thereby serve as an anchor in deeper water than if it had not so extended.

Reel 3 is provided with a shaft 12 having a pair of collars 13 adapted to be inserted freely through an orifice 14 in a bracket 15 and to support said reel from lateral motion in a slot 16 of said bracket. lhen shaft 12 is dropped into said slot 16 a bar 17, having a cleat 18, .is inserted through the orifice 14 and held against lateral motion by said cleat, thel said 'bar' coming sufficiently near toy the said collars to prevent an undesirable upward movement of said shaft when the said bar is aliixed to straps 19. Straps 19 spanl the space between air chamber 2 and also form a support for hooks 20, which said hooks are aflixed to a basket 21. Basket 21 is for the purpose of carrying money, jewelry, papers and other valuables, and when inserted is prevented yfrom release by a cap 22 for the said buoy'. Cap 22 is held affixed to body l by clamps, preferably five in number, consisting' of an eye member 23, the said eyev member having a pair of eyes, one of said eyes 24 vertical for receiving a bolt member and the other of said eyes 25 lateral for receiving a fioat cable 26. Thebolt member having a bolt 27, having a nutv 28 and washer 29, is extended to and flattened at 30 andv riveted with three rivets 31. Thus, when the cap is inserted bolt 27 penetrates through the hole 24 and is affixed by nuts and washers 28 and 29'. It is obvious therefore that n'o matter how much the thin metal casing 1 may yield it will be impossible for` bolt 27 to be disengaged from eye member 23. It is obvious further that, owing to the arcuate structure of eye member`23 where it is affixed to cap 22, the forces tending to separate the cap 22 and the casing 1 willV not be angular upon cap 22 and Y will not have as great a tendency to distort capr 22 as they would if the said member 23 were afiixed upon` the side of said cap 22. It vis further obvious that the member 23 performs a dual function of forming a lock for affixing the said cap to the said body 1 and also forcarrying the vsaid float cable 26. Member 23 is affixed to cap 22 by rivets 33, there being three of said rivets. rIlhus, if the member 23 were made separate for forming a perforation for receiving a locking bolt and also with a separate part for holding `the said float cable, each of said parts would require atV least Vfour rivets, but by the combination of the twosaid parts, one of said parts normally on the top of said cap 22 and the other of the said parts at the side, the stresses by reason of the reduced angularity are so reduced in this unified structure, that three rivets are all that are essential for holding of the said member. By reason of the further fact that bolt 27 is elongated and normally rests against the casing of body 1 for a considerable length, it is found that three rivets 31 are all that are essential for maintaining' this permanent position.

A gasket 34 cylindrically cross sectioned is provi-ded between the cap 22 and the body 1. The purpose of having this gasket cylindrical is to reduce the pressure required for sealing cap 22 in relation to body 1. 7

IVhat I claim is:

1. A buoy comprising means for buoyancy, a reel for paying out a retaining line, a basket for valuables above said 'reel said means for buoyancy surrounding said basket and reel, means for capping said buoy above said basket, and means for holding said' basket aflixed when said cap is in place and for releasing saidl basket whenv said cap i'sremoved'. Y .y f

2. In a buoy', a body member, a capi, a member of relatively yheavier metal affixedto said cap, said heavier member provided with an eye to receive a bolt for locking said cap' to said-*bodyl and also an eye to ing said chambers and formed'at its lower end into a tube and a tubular member carryinga weight telescoping with saidfextended tube, and meansV for arresting the downward movement of said tube carrying' said weight.

5. In a buoy, in combination, air cham'- bers for buoyancy, a body casing surrounding said chambers and formed at vits lower end into a tube and a tubular member carrying a weight tele'scoping withy said extended tube, and means forV arresting the downward movement of said tube carrying said weight, said means including a hook crimp in' each of said members.

6. In a buoy, a reel for paying out' av line, a shaft for said reel, recessesI to freely receive said 'sha-ft' from the` topv andi meansl for locking said shaft from upward movement affixed to said floats, means for holding said including a strip slidably mounted above reel in position, said means for holding said said shaft and means for afixing said strip reel in position and said receptacle both 10 relative to the body of said buoy. supported by said member aiiXed to said 7. In a buoy, in combination, fioats for loats. buoyancy, a reel for paying out a retaining In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature. line, a receptacle for valuables, a member WILLIAM S. CROUCII. 

